It takes a while for the shutter and aperture correction can be done without thinking, but it is worth the effort. I’ll look at the piccies soon.

I think this is because I’m totally new to this SLR stuff: a complete ignoramus. My camera has various non-automatic but nonetheless not fully automatic options, which include Av and Tv. I don’t even know whether all SLRs have them. In any event, though, my book suggests that Av is best used when wishing to control depth of field, and Tv when shooting action or motion-blur shots. I therefore used the Av most of the time, as I was shooting mushrooms and toadstools I soon realised, though, that I didn’t know whether the camera was making a sort of ‘opening gambit’ assessment for me with F stop/shutter speed, around which I could then bracket, or whether the whole thing was totally in my hands.

I don’t think I’ve explained this very well… can you see what I mean? What I’m wondering now is:

1. when you talk about using the camera on manual as opposed to auto, do you mean *fully* manual (because that’s an option I’ve also got) or did you expect people to be using these Av/Tv etc things?

2. Whichever of the 3 options I use, does the camera make an assessment of its own when I first switch it on, based on where I’m pointing it/lighting etc, or is it waiting for me to come up with an opening choice re: F stop/shutter speed?

Eep! I hope you can see what I’m asking…

Anyway! Having said all that, I did get (what are for me) some great pictures of toadstools, and I was so excited by the whole thing that I’m going back early tomorrow morning for another go. (I had to stop today when the battery died after about 90 minutes.) Now I’m off to read the rest of your postings

*glows with pride*

Is it too late, I wonder, to introduce you to any of the nuns I knew at school? I think they had a slightly different take on the matter… *g*